‘Having had responsibility for busy police offices in my time, I can sympathise on the problem of tracking paperwork and files. I hope that your present . . . ah . . . difficulties in that respect can be overcome very quickly. But I doubt if Captain Willie O’Shea would agree with you in your estimate of Mr Parnell as an honourable man. He certainly isn’t very honourable insofar as his relationship with Captain O’Shea’s wife is concerned.’

‘Whatever the facts of that relationship, Mr Waters, it appears to be an arrangement that suits everyone, including Captain O’Shea,’ Mallon countered. ‘And I suggest that it suits us too. As I have said, in my view Mr Parnell stands as a bulwark between us and chaos. And his domestic situation, vulnerable as it appears to be, may actually serve to prevent him becoming too powerful. I’m not totally insensitive to the wider political issues of which Mr Smith Berry has spoken.’

‘Absolute tosh,’ Kelly interjected. ‘You’re out of your depth, Mallon. Stick to your backstreet informers and cultivate your touts. You simply don’t understand that Parnell is a greater threat to the system than any Fenians or dynamiters.’

Swallow silently acknowledged that Kelly was probably right about Parnell. G-Division, the police forces and if necessary the army could keep violence in check. It was not nearly so certain that the Salisbury government could hold the line at Westminster. If there was a threat to the unity of the kingdom, and by extension to the empire, it was political rather than military.

Smith Berry was growing impatient. ‘So, Detective Inspector Swallow, how long do you estimate it will be before you have your man for the Rathmines murder? Might we then expect some attention to be given to the priorities of the government that pays your salary?’

‘With respect, sir, the government does not pay my salary. It is raised in taxes and rates from the householders and the businesses of this city,’ Swallow answered calmly. ‘They’re entitled to the protection of the police that they pay for. I’m doing what I can to put order on the paperwork at Exchange Court, but it won’t be done in a day.’

Smith Berry seemed unable to find words. The colour drained from his face. Out of the corner of his eye Swallow saw John Mallon take a sharp intake of breath.

To respond in these terms to the assistant under-secretary for security was probably somewhere between insolence and mutiny, he knew. But the facts were on his side. Unlike the paramilitary RIC that policed the country outside of Dublin, and which was funded directly from the exchequer, the Dublin police system was funded primarily by the city ratepayers.

Smith Berry pushed his chair back and came to his feet.